November 20, 2012

Sheridan College partners with Engineer-in-Residence program

BRAMPTON, ONT.

The Engineer-in-Residence (EIR) program and Sheridan College have forged a new partnership that will help bring engineering and science literacy to schools across Ontario.

The EIR Program, an educational outreach program of Professional Engineers Ontario, sends engineers into classrooms to deliver innovative, hands-on programming to students from junior kindergarten all the way through to Grade 12.

The program is designed to engage students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects while providing a critical real-life connection to classroom theory.

The collaboration highlights the importance of relationships between colleges and programs such as EIR that reach children at an early age, Sheridan College said in a release.

“I believe that early outreach and mentoring are crucial to inspire children of all ages to become interested in engineering and other STEM-related fields,” said Farzad Rayegani, associate dean of mechanical engineering and technology at Sheridan College.

“Books and lectures are useful on one level, but what truly sparks innovation and excitement in students is practical application of fundamental principles in the form of experimentation and hands-on experiences.”

Sheridan College has a history of supporting educational outreach programs as well as a demonstrated commitment to applied learning and skills-based educational programming that integrates theory with application. This partnership with the EIR program also reflects Sheridan’s commitment to being engaged with its neighbouring communities.

“We are extremely excited to be working with Sheridan College,” said Jeffrey Crelinsten, executive director of the EIR program. “Their concern with the STEM literacy of our younger generation and their focus on hands-on applications of learning will be of great benefit to improving our program and enhancing our ability to reach more young people.”

In addition to partnering with the program, a number of Sheridan faculty members have volunteered to go into schools as EIRs. “We love being engineers,” Rayegani said. “We love to share our enthusiasm of our profession with everyone, especially children. We love to challenge kids to solve their problems, try to answer their questions, and most importantly, encourage them to explore math and science in school.”

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